2. In terms of Paragraph 4 (i) of the Scheme, in case of demand from a customer/ depositor whose unclaimed amount/deposit had been transferred to the Fund, banks shall repay the customer/depositor, along with interest, if applicable, and lodge a claim for refund from the Fund for an equivalent amount paid to the customer/depositor.

4. However, it is observed that, while accounts remained inoperative for ten years or more and the customers/ claimants concerned were non-traceable, some banks have claimed substantial refunds from the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund, much too soon after transferring the amounts due to the Fund. It is not clear as to how customers / claimants, who did not operate the account for ten years or more, approached the banks for repayment immediately after the balances in their inoperative accounts were transferred to the Fund. Banks should, therefore, follow all instructions meticulously in respect of inoperative accounts.

5. Further, proper due diligence as per the risk category of the customers may also be carried out before making payments to the customers approaching the banks for repayment. Banks are advised to invariably verify the genuineness of the transactions and ensure that the amounts paid to the customers are properly audited by the internal auditors/statutory auditors.